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ClassIjriE 
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Albert B. Fall, Secretary 



United States Geological Survey 

George Otis Smith, Director 



Water-Supply Paper 500— B 



GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION NEAR 
GAGE, ELLIS COUNTY, OKLAHOMA 



BY 



DAVID G. THOMPSON 



Contributions to the hydrology of the United States, 1921 
(Pages 33-53) 

Published July 21, 1921 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1921 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Introduction 33 

Purpose of investigation 33 

Conclusions reached 33 

Geography of the region_: 34 

Surface features 36 

Geology 37 

Permian deposits — the " Red Beds " 37 

Tertiary deposits 39 

Quaternary deposits 39 

Climate 40 

Precipitation 40 

Temperature _ 41 

Winds 41 

Sources of water supply 41 

Alluvium of stream valleys ,, 41 

Tertiary deposits 42 

Permian " Red Beds " 44 

Artesian conditions in the "Red Beds" 48 

Quality of water 48 

Water for domestic use 49 

Water for use in boilers 49 

Water for irrigation 49 

Quality of waters in the Gage region 50 

Irrigation 51 



ILLUSTEATIONS. 

Page. 
Plate IV. A, Flowing well half a mile east of Gage, Okla. ; B, Near view 

of flowing well near Gage, Okla., showing discharge 44 

Figure 5. Map of part of northwestern Oklahoma 35 

6. Diagrammatic cross section between Gage, Okla., and Wagon 

Mound, N. Mex., showing probable structure of " Red Beds," 
source of water, and cause of artesian flow at Gage, Okla — 38 

7. Theoretical cross section showing possible structure near Gage, 

Okla., and source of water in flowing well at Gage: 39 



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GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION NEAR GAGE, ELLIS 
COUNTY, OKLAHOMA. 



By David G. Thompson. 



INTRODUCTION. 

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION. 

This report is the result of a field examination to determine the 
possibility of obtaining water for use in irrigation from deep wells 
near Gage, Ellis County, Okla. The region is one in which the 
average precipitation is onl} T about 20 inches a year, an amount barel}' 
sufficient for farming. During the two or three years preceding 1918 
the precipitation was deficient and the farmers were therefore im- 
pelled to consider the possibility of obtaining water for irrigation. 
In August, 1918, in a well that was being drilled for oil half a mile 
east of Gage, Okla., a large flow of water, reported to be 40,000 to 
50,000 barrels a day, was struck at a depth of 508 feet. In response 
to a request made to the United States Geological Survey the writer 
was detailed to investigate the flowing well at Gage and other sources 
of water in the region which might be available for use in irrigation. 

A short time was spent in the vicinity of Gage, and reconnais- 
sance trips were made as far south as Arnett and as far east as 
Woodward. Data concerning the present sources of water were 
collected, and logs of deep wells drilled for oil at several places 
within a radius of 30 miles of Gage were obtained. Several samples 
of water from different sources were sent to the laboratories of the 
Geological Survey to be analyzed. Unless otherwise indicated the 
statements made in this report apply onty to the region within a 
radius of 15 or 20 miles of Gage. The logs of several wells that are 
farther away from Gage, obtained by R. K. Bailey in connection 
with potash investigations by the Geological Survey, were also 
studied. 

Acknowledgments are due to Messrs. C. H. Holmes, C. J. Minton, 
and R. M. Sowers, of Gage, to officials of the Home Producers Oil 
& Gas Co., of Woodward, and to others for information furnished. 

CONCLUSIONS REACHED. 

As the result of a study of the data obtained in the field the con- 
clusion is reached that there is no reasonable prospect of obtaining 
water for irrigation in this region, except in small areas. Water 

33 



34 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

could probably be obtained from deep wells in sufficient quantities 
for irrigation, but this deeper water is generally so salty that it 
would probably not only kill the crops but spoil the land for future 
crops. The water obtained from shallower wells on the uplands is 
much better and is generally suitable for irrigation, but in many 
places the depth from which it would have to be pumped would be 
too great for profitable irrigation. No wells of large diameter have 
been drilled, and the possible maximum yield of wells on the uplands 
is not known, but it is believed that the yield would not be sufficient 
for irrigation. Probably the only part of the region in which good 
water can be obtained at a reasonable cost is on the flood plain of 
Wolf Creek, a small area in which water can be found in sufficient 
quantities at depths of less than 50 feet. The farmers can probably 
find relief from drought not so much by irrigation as by a careful 
study of the crops and farming methods best adapted to the climate. 
The data on which these conclusions are based are given in the fol- 
lowing pages. 

GEOGRAPHY OF THE REGION. 

The region is reached by the Panhandle line of the Atchison, 
Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, which crosses it from northeast to 
southwest. The Wichita Falls & Northwestern Railroad extends 
northwestward along the east side of the region. The principal 
towns are Shattuck (population 1,365 in 1920), Gage (804), Arnett 
(404), and Fargo (258 ). 1 (See fig. 5.) Arnett, the county seat of 
Ellis County, is not on the railroad but can be reached by automobile 
from Gage. Woodward (population 3,849), the county seat of 
Woodward County, lies 24 miles northeast of Gage, outside of the 
region considered. 

The region is primarily agricultural ; it contains no factories or 
mines. The land in Ellis County and in the western tier of town- 
ships of Woodward County generally is better suited to agriculture 
than that in the region farther east, where the soil is derived from the 
Permian " Eed Beds," which in many places contain so much gypsum 
or salt that they form soil unfit for raising crops. The erosion of 
the " Red Beds " has in some places resulted in badlands too rough 
to be farmed. Along Wolf Creek there are sand hills, which are 
generally covered with wild grasses and unfit for agriculture. The 
soils in the region west of that in which the " Red Beds " are exposed 
are derived from Tertiary sands and sandy clays and are fairly 
fertile. It is reported that no public lands remain unsold in Ellis 
County, and probably about half the area of the county is under 
cultivation. 

1 Fourteenth Census Bull. Oklahoma, 1921. 



GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION NEAR GAGE, OKLA. 



35 



The principal crops raised in the region are wheat, Kafir corn, 

Milo maize, I'eterita. cane, and broom corn. Sudan grass has yielded 

but so far has not been planted extensively. Broom corn 




Figure 5. — Map of northwestern Oklahoma showing location of certain wells near Gage. 
Only the wells referred to in this report are shown. 

is one of the most valuable crops ; as many as 300 carloads of it are 
reported to have been shipped from Gage in a single season. 

As the rainfall is small only a little corn is raised, and for the same 
reason very little fruit is grown. Lands that are too hilly or rocky 
to be cultivated are used for the pasturage of cattle and sheep. 



36 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

Roads, have been laid out on nearly all the section lines, and those 
in the area underlain by Tertiary rocks are usually in good condition. 
The roads in the " Red Beds " area are rougher, and those in the sand 
hills may be very sandy. 

The wild plants of the Gage region constitute a typical semiarid. 
flora. The characteristic plants are a variety of white sage, the cac- 
tus known as prickly pear, and a plant locally called soap weed, 
which has long, slender blades and resembles a stunted form of the 
Spanish dagger or yucca of California and Arizona. Wild grasses 
are abundant. Trees are found only along the streams and where 
they have been planted, as at farmhouses. The prevailing types are 
willow and poplar. 

SURFACE FEATURES. 

The Gage region lies almost entirely in the physiographic province 
known as the High Plains, at the eastern edge of the province. It 
was once a plain sloping eastward, but it has been much dissected 
by streams, which now reach all parts of it. It is more dissected than 
that part of the High Plains which lies farther west, in the Pan- 
handle of Texas. The high land north of Shattuck stands about 800 
feea above the North Fork of Canadian River, but the relief in any 
particular square mile generally ranges only from 25 to 100 feet. 

The only large stream in the region is Wolf Creek, which flows 
northeastward, uniting with the North Fork of Canadian River about 
25 miles northeast of Gage. Wolf Creek is a typical stream of the 
semiarid plains of the West. Its channel is about 300 feet wide and 
is cut 5 to 10 feet below a nearly level valley floor, which ranges in 
width from half a mile to 2 miles. The stream is usually only about 
100 feet wide, occupying but a small part of its wide channel, and it 
follows a meandering, braided course. Sand from the dry parts of 
the channel is blown to the uplands and is added to the sand hills. In 
times of flood the river fills its channel from bank to bank and some- 
times overflows the adjacent lowlands. It is said that the stream has 
neA^er been known to go dry, and that on the other hand even in flood 
times it seldom reaches more than a few hundred feet beyond its 
channel. 

Several minor streams enter Wolf Creek ; the largest is Twenty-five 
Mile Creek, which heads about 14 miles northwest of Gage. After 
heavy rains these streams rise rapidly and do considerable damage 
to roads and bridges. Most of them cease flowing in dry seasons, but 
water is said to stand in pools in their beds, even in the driest 3^ears. 
In the loAver parts of their courses they are bordered by flats a few 
hundred feet wide, but for most of their length they have no flood 



GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION NEAR GAGE, OKLA. 37 

plains. The valleys of these minor streams are cut 10 to 50 feet below 
the adjacent uplands, hut the slopes are nowhere very steep. 

The floor of the valley of Wolf Creek is underlain by alluvium. 
At some time in the past Wolf Creek excavated its valley deeper than 
it is at present and later partly refilled it with sand and gravel and 
formed an extensive flood plain. The creek is now flowing in a 
channel which it has cut a few feet into the alluvium. In parts of 
the valley the alluvium is covered with wind-blown sand. 

The upland reaches elevations of 300 feet or more above the valley 

floor of "Wolf Creek. Some parts of it are nearly level, but other 

parts, particularly those near the minor streams, have a slope of 50 

to 100 feet to the mile. Most of the upland is underlain by sand 

or clay, but in some places hard rocks crop out in prominent ledges 

that cap hills. 

GEOLOGY. 

Permian, Tertiary, and Quaternary deposits are exposed at the 
surface in the Gage region, and possibly also some Cretaceous rocks. 2 

PERMIAN DEPOSITS— THE " RED BEDS." 

The oldest rocks exposed in the region are the " Red Beds," of 
Permian age. They are at the surface in the eastern part of the 
region, but they disappear under younger, light-colored deposits 
about 3 miles west of Woodward. The " Red Beds " have been 
divided into several formations. Those at the surface near Wood- 
ward belong to the Woodward formation, which consists essentially 
of shale, sandstone, and dolomite and is characterized by the absence 
of gypsum. In other parts of the " Red Beds " area the Woodward 
formation is overlain by the Greer formation, which consists of red 
clay, shale, and sandstone, interbedded with layers of gypsum and 
dolomite. The presence of gypsum is especially characteristic of the 
formation, and in many places it contains salt. The Greer forma- 
tion crops out in the southeastern part of Ellis County, and it may 
occur above the Woodward formation in the region west of Wood- 
ward, where the " Red Beds " are covered by Tertiary beds. The 
Woodward formation overlies the Blaine formation, which, like the 
Greer, contains thick beds of gypsum. Gypsum-bearing beds were 
penetrated in the deep well at Gage and in at least two other deep 
wells drilled for oil in the region. It is not possible to correlate 

2 Practically no detailed work has been done on the geology of the Gage region, and the 
writer had opportunity to make only hasty observations. The statements made concern- 
ing the geology are based mainly on the following reports : 

Gould, C. N., Geology and water resources of Oklahoma : U. S. Geol. Survey Water- 
Supply Paper 148, pp. 22-84, 190.5. 

Snider, L. C, Geography of Oklahoma : Oklahoma Geol. Survey Bull. 27, pp. 43-56, 1917. 

Aurin, Fritz, Geology of the Red Beds of Oklahoma : Oklahoma Geol. Survey Bull. 30, 
1917. 



38 



CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 



definitely the beds penetrated in these wells, partly because the logs 
of the wells are not strictly reliable and partly because the " Bed 
Beds" vary considerably in character within short distances. It is 
believed, however, that the gypsum-bearing beds penetrated in the 
wells belong to the Blaine formation, as they lie at depths of about 
450 feet, above which are considerable thicknesses of " Bed Beds " 
that apparently do not contain gypsum and are probably part of 
the Woodward formation. In the Gage well "gyp " rock was re- 
ported at 144 feet. The writer found that ordinary sandstone or 
sandy shale is often called " gyp " in the Gage region and that in 
some places gypsum is not recognized, so that the statement as to 
the Gage well may be without particular significance. If, however, 
gypsum was penetrated at 144 feet it probably belongs to the lower 
part of the Greer formation. 







APPROXIMATE SCALE 



Figdeh 6. — Diagrammatic cross section between Gage, Okla., and Wagon Mound, N. Mex. 
(after Gould) , showing probable structure of " Red Beds," source of water, and cause 
of artesian flow at Gage. Arrows show movement of water. Well at Gage will flow 
because of pressure of water from the west. Well at A, on higher ground, may not 
flow, but water will rise to level W, which is slightly above surface elevation at Gage. 
There may be local folds that are not shown. Vertical scale greatly exaggerated. 

The gypsum and salt that are abundant in the " Bed Beds " are 
readily soluble, and water that has passed over or through such 
beds is usually unfit for any use, owing to its high content of cal- 
cium sulphate. In the " Bed Beds " area, therefore, the water ob- 
tained in wells is usually so highly mineralized that it can not be 
used, and the inhabitants must depend on cisterns for a supply for 
domestic and other purposes. In areas where the rocks from which 
the water is obtained are dolomite, sandstone, and shale, without 
gypsum, as in the region underlain by the Woodward formation, the 
water is usually of better quality. 

The " Bed Beds " dip gently south of west where they are exposed 
east of Woodward and have a slight dip in the same direction where 
they disappear under the Tertiary deposits west of Woodward. Logs 
of deep wells west of Woodward do not afford sufficient data to make 
it possible to determine accurately the structure of the " Bed Beds " 
where they are overlain by later deposits. " Bed Beds " similar to 



GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION NEAR GAGE, OKLA. 



39 



those in Oklahoma are found in Xew Mexico, where they dip to the 
cast at slight angles. These beds in New Mexico in part belong to 
the same scries (Permian) as the beds in Oklahoma and are in part 
younger (Triassic). The fact that the " Red Beds" dip in a westerly 
direction where they disappear under the Tertiary deposits hear 
Woodward and in an easterly direction in Xew Mexico suggests that 
in the intervening area the beds form a large syncline or trough. 

Figure 6 is a generalized cross section showing these conditions. 
It is probable that the regular eastward dip of the beds is inter- 
rupted in places by local folds. Such a condition is shown in figure 
7. which represents on a larger scale a possible interpretation of the 
structure of the eastern part of the region shown in figure G. It 
should be borne in mind that the two sections are generalized and in 
part theoretical and should not be understood to indicate the pres- 
ence or absence of oil. 




Figure 7. — Theoretical cross section showing possible structure near Gage, Okla., and 
source of water in flowing well at Gage. Arrows indicate movement of water in the 
" Red Beds," which the water enters by percolation from the Tertiary deposits. Well 
at Gage will flow because of pressure from the west. Well at A, on higher ground, will 
not flow, but water will rise to leved W, which is slightly above surface elevation at 
Gage. Vertical scale exaggerated. 

TERTIARY DEPOSITS. 

West and southwest of Woodward the " Red Beds " are overlain by 
deposits of sandstone and shale, usually light gray, that belong to the 
Tertiary system. Most of these deposits are rather soft and inco- 
herent, but they include hard layers. The beds in general have an 
eastward dip, but it is so slight that it is not noticeable unless careful 
measurements are made. Tertiary deposits may also occur on the 
uplands on the northeast side of the Xorth Fork of Canadian River, 
but the geology of that region has not been carefully studied. No de- 
tailed investigations of the Tertiary deposits have been made, and 
their exact position in the geologic column is not known. 

QUATERNARY DEPOSITS. 

The Quaternary deposits consist of gravelly and sandy alluvium 
along the larger streams and of dune sand blown principally from the 
alluvium by the strong winds that occur in the region. 
32975°— 21 2 



40 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

CLIMATE. 

PRECIPITATION. 

The Gage region lies in the semiarid belt of the United States — 
that is, the belt in which the average annual precipitation is between 
20 and 30 inches. No records of the precipitation at Gage for any 
extended period are available, but records have been kept for 10 years 
or more at several points within 60 miles of that town. The average 
annual precipitation at three of these places is given in the following 
table. Beaver is about 60 miles northwest of Gage, Mutual is about 
35 miles southeast of Gage, and Woodward is about 20 miles east of 
Gage. 

Average monthly and annual precipitation at certain points in northwestern 

Oklahoma.® 





Period 






























of 

record 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


An- 
nual. 




(years). 




























Beaver 

Mutual 

Woodward. . 


21 
10 
15 


0.60 
.29 
.51 


0.41 
1.44 
1.22 


0.70 
.68 
.67 


2.19 
2.07 
2.01 


2.71 
2.38 
2.70 


3.19 
3.00 
2.52 


2.77 
2.29 
2.74 


2.36 
3.12 
2.50 


2.06 
3.45 
2.56 


1.28 
1.70 
1.50 


1.19 
1.65 
1.52 


0.58 

1.88 
.73 


20.04 
23. 95 
21.18 



a From records of the United States Weather Bureau, published in Climatological data for the United 
States, by sections, vol. 4, No. 13, pp. 101, 102. 1917. 

The table shows that the average annual precipitation in the region 
is less than 25 inches, and that for the three points at which records 
have been kept it is least at the westernmost point and greatest at 
the easternmost point. The average annual precipitation at Gage 
is probably not far from 21 inches. 

The table shows that most of the precipitation occurs in the six 
warm months from April to September, inclusive. At Beaver and 
Woodward the amount for these months is more than 70 per cent 
of the total, and at Mutual the percentage is only a little less. Some 
of the precipitation in the winter is in the form of snow, but the 
snow seldom remains long on the ground. 

In 1918 there was a dry period during the summer. The United 
States Weather Bureau record for Woodward for the period from 
April to September, inclusive, showed a deficiency from the normal 
of 2.17 inches, all of which occurred during June, July, August, and 
September. The total deficiency for these four summer months was 
4.46 inches, but for April and May there was a surplus of 2.29 inches. 
Heavy rains occurred in the last three months of the year, with the 
result that the precipitation for the entire year was 25.38 inches, a 
surplus of 4.20 inches over the normal 



GROUND WATER FOR [RRIGATION NEAB GAGE, OKLA. 41 

TEMPERATURE. 

The mean annual temperature of the Gage region is probably be- 
tween 55° and (><> c F.. but there is usually a considerable annual range. 
A study of the United States Weather Bureau records for a number 
of years at Woodward, the station nearest to Gage, shows ranges 
from at least 18° below zero to 110° above. 

The daily temperature range is often considerable. This is an 
important factor in agriculture, especially in the winter, when it is 
not uncommon for the temperature to rise above GO during the day 
and to fall to several degrees below the freezing point the following 
night. Ranges of more than 50° have been reported frequently dur- 
ing January and February. On February 3, 1917, at Woodward, 
the temperature ranged from zero to 67°, and on February 25 of 
the same year from 21° to 84°. These variations in temperature are 
detrimental to the raising of Avinter wheat, especially when the 
ground is not covered with a blanket of snow. Much of the wheat 
is often killed in the winter, requiring a second seeding, with the 
result that it develops late and the planting of the following summer 
crop is therefore somewhat delayed. Frost may generally be ex- 
pected from the latter part of October to the first part of April. 
High summer temperatures are common, the thermometer often ris- 
ing above 90°, and temperatures of 100° to 110° are not rare. The 
daily range is generally somewhat less in the summer than in the 
winter. 

WINDS. 

Strong wind is a characteristic feature of the weather in the Gage 
region, blowing for many days at a time. Practically all the wells 
in the region are pumped by windmills. The wind often is warm 
and exerts a considerable drying influence on the soil, doing con- 
siderable damage to crops. 

SOURCES OF WATER SUPPLY. 

The water supply of the Gage region is at present nearly all ob- 
tained from dug or drilled wells a few feet to about 200 feet deep. At 
a few places water is obtained from springs. In the following pages 
the present sources of supply, and others that might be used for irri- 
gation are considered. 

ALLUVIUM OF STREAM VALLEYS. 

The alluvium underlying the valley floors of the larger streams is 
unconsolidated, and as it is composed principally of sand and gravel 
it is very porous and can hold a large quantity of water. Much of 
the water that runs off from the hillsides adjoining the valley floors 



42 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

percolates into the porous beds, and some water is added to them from 
the streams that flow across them. If water is pumped from such-de- 
posits there is opportunity for the supply to be replenished. These 
deposits will therefore yield large amounts of water year after year. 
Water is usually obtained in them at slight depths and stands near 
the surface in wells. Definite information was procured concerning 
only two valley wells, both of which have good yields. 

The public supply for Gage is obtained from a gang of six driven 
pipes about one-third of a mile south of Wolf Creek. These pipes 
are in a pit 10 feet in diameter, dug 10 feet deep, and are driven to 
a total depth of 39 feet from the surface. The 10-foot pit was dug 
through sand and clay. Water was encountered at 11 feet, and be- 
low this was clay to 33 feet. This clay was 'saturated, but it was so 
fine that it would not yield water rapidly. A good supply of water 
was obtained in sand between 33 and 39 feet, and the bottom of the 
water-bearing bed apparently was not reached. Each pipe is 2 inches 
in diameter and is equipped with a 60-gage screen 6 feet long. The 
well is pumped with a centrifugal pump, and the six pipes together 
have yielded as much as 200 gallons a minute, which is the capacity 
of the pump. They are usually pumped at only 135 gallons a minute. 
When the well is not being pumped the water stands 11 feet from the 
surface, but when it is pumped at the rate of 135 gallons a minute the 
water level is lowered 13 feet. An assay of a sample of water from 
this well shows it to be of fair quality for domestic use and good for 
irrigation but poor for use in boilers. (See No. 1, p. 50.) 

At Fargo the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Eailway Co. has a 
dug well 20 feet in diameter and about 35 feet deep. This well is 
fully a mile from Wolf Creek, at a point where the flood plain of 
the creek is widened by Boggy Creek, which enters it from the south. 
The depth to the water level is about 23 feet. No log of the well is 
available. The well yields 10,000 gallons an hour (about 165 gal- 
lons a minute). When it is pumped at this rate the water level is 
lowered 10 feet in 10 to 12 hours. No analysis of the water is avail- 
able, but aside from the fact that it is hard it is said to be of good 
quality. 

It is believed that water can be obtained from wells on the valley 
floor of Wolf Creek in sufficient quantity and of good enough quality 
for irrigation. Along tributaries of Wolf Creek, however, the 
alluvium is not extensive, and good supplies adequate for irrigation 
probably can not be obtained except near their junction with the 
main stream. 

TERTIARY DEPOSITS. 

In the vicinity of Gage all the wells on the uplands derive their 
supply from Tertiary deposits. Practically all these wells are 



GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION HEAR GAGE, OKLA. 43 

drilled. because of the depth to which it is sometimes necessary to 
go to obtain water. The wells range in depth from less than 50 feet 
to 200 feet or more, but most of them are probably between 50 and 150 
feet deep. The depth to the water level in most of the wells is be- 
tween '2.") and 100 feet. The depth to water varies from place to 
place but in general is greatest on the highest land. "When water is 
struck it does not rise more than a foot or two in the well. There 
are no indications of artesian conditions. 

Water is usually obtained in layers of sand or gravel, in places 
more or less consolidated, overlain and underlain by clayey or shaly 
beds. The clayey beds may also contain water, but they are too hue 
grained to furnish adequate supplies to wells. The driller usually 
does not stop when he first strikes water but drills through the under- 
lying clay and penetrates the next water-bearing bed, the supply 
of which is less subject to contamination and less likely to be greatly 
diminished in times of drought. It is probable, however, that here, 
as in the Tertiary deposits in other parts of Oklahoma, the water- 
bearing beds are not continuous for great distances but form irreg- 
ular lenses or stringers. For this reason the depth to the water- 
bearing sand or gravel may differ considerably in places only a mile 
or two apart. 

Xo adequate information is available in regard to the maximum 
quantity of water that might be obtained from wells on the uplands. 
Most of the wells are used only for domestic purposes and for water- 
ing a few head of stock, and no attempt has been made to obtain 
large supplies. Practically all the wells are pumped by windmills 
or hand pumps, and it is difficult to get a good test. Furthermore. 
most of the" wells are only 2 inches in diameter. The maximum 
yield reported in any well on the uplands was estimated at 7 to 
10 gallons a minute from a 3-inch pipe. This well is on the place 
of L. Zahn, in the XE. £ sec. 12, T. 21 X., E. 23 W., about 35 feet 
above a creek. The depth of the well is 55 feet, and the depth to the 
water level is 27 feet. The only well equipped with a gasoline engine 
for which data were obtained is one at the county courthouse at Arnett. 
This well is 130 feet deep, and the water level is approximately 90 feet 
below the surface. The well is 6 inches in diameter, but the pump 
pipe is only 1^ inches in diameter. This well yielded only 5 gallons 
a minute in a test. It is reported that when the well is pumped the 
water level is lowered about 20 feet. It is believed that most of the 
wells with 2-inch pipes will yield not more than 5 to 10 gallons a 
minute. If the wells were of larger diameter they might yield 
more freely, but with heavy pumping the supply would probably be 
seriously depleted. 






44 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

Springs occur at a number of places in the Gage region, and their 
water comes from Tertiary deposits. None of these were visited, 
however, and no definite information in regard to them is available. 
Most of them occur on streams, where valleys have been cut across a 
water-bearing stratum. At some of them the owners have built 
clams and impounded the water; at others the water is allowed to 
run freely. 

The water from the Tertiary deposits is generally of good qual- 
ity. (See assay of a typical sample (No. 3) on p. 50.) In the eastern 
part of the Gage region, where the Tertiary deposits are compara- 
tively thin and are underlain by the " Red Beds," if a well is drilled 
too deep it may penetrate the " Red Beds." Water from the " Red 
Beds " is likely to be of somewhat poorer quality than that from the 
Tertiary deposits. 

PERMIAN "RED BEDS." 

Except near the eastern edge of the region, where the Tertiary 
deposits are thin, no wells that are used for water supply penetrate 
the " Red Beds." They have been reached, however, in several wells 
drilled for oil, but as the search for oil was the primary object in 
the drilling of these wells, the drillers paid little attention to the 
quality or quantity of water struck at various horizons, and the 
information afforded by the logs of the wells is meager. 

The question of the possibility of obtaining water from deep wells 
for irrigation was raised by the striking of a strong flow in a well 
drilled for oil about half a mile east of Gage, in the SE. J SW. I sec. 
2, T. 21 N., R. 24 W. (SeePl.IV.) The well was drilled by the Guar- 
antee Development Co. It is 10 inches in diameter and when visited 
by the writer had reached a depth of 516 feet. The log of the well, 
from the driller's record, is given below. This log is not strictly 
reliable, however, for two reasons — first, the drilling was done with 
a rotary hydraulic rig, and it is impossible to get good samples when 
such a method is employed; second, a comparison of the log with 
samples studied by the writer shows that the presence of gypsum at 
several places was apparently not recognized, and there is reason to 
believe that material was called gypsum which was not gypsum. 



IT. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 600 PLATE IV 



M 

1$ 



hffi 



?! Ill mm 



: 3&*&% 




A. FLOWING WELL HALF A MILE EAST OF 
GAGE, OKLA. 




B. NEAR VIEW OF FLOWING WELL NEAR GAGE, OKLA., SHOWING DISCHARGE. 



GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION NEAR GAGE, OKLA. 45 



Record of well in the SE. i SW. 4 tee. 2, T. 21 V., R. 24 W* near Qage, Bilk 

County, Okla. 

[Drilled Juno 3 to Aug. 19, 191S, by Guarantee Development Co. From driller's record sheets.] 





Thick- 
ness. 


Depth. 




Thick- 
ness. 


Depth. 


Sand 


Feet. 

20 

10 

2 

5 

4 

7 

10 

33 

25 

8 

4 

5 

11 

14 

20 

22 

14 

4 

14 

3 

3 

2 

5 

2 

2 

9 

9 


Fed. 

20 

30 

32 

37 

41 

48 

18 

91 

116 

121 

128 

133 1 

144 I 

158 

m 

200 
214 
218 
232 
235 
238 
240 
245 
247 
249 
258 
267 




Feet. 

6 

12 

13 

10 

4 

13 

9 

11 

13 

12 

12 

12 

9 

13 

9 

6 

8 

6 

8 

4 

11 

5 

8 

15 

12 

8 


Feet. 
273 






285 


(lav 




298 






:n)\ 






312 






325 






334 






345 


Sand 




358 






370 






3v2 






394 






403 


Rock and red sand and "gyp". . . 




416 




425 






431 






439 




Shale and gravel 

Gravel and sand; some water 

Sand 


445 




453 


Sand 


457 




468 


Rock 


Blue shale 


473 


Sand 


481 




Shale and gravel 


496 




508 


Gravel ." 




516 


Clay and gravel 


■ 









Samples from several different depths that were examined by the 
writer contained gypsum in varying quantities. Small amounts were 
found at 455 feet and 468 feet. A piece of rock about 4 inches in 
diameter that was said to have come from a depth of 508 feet con- 
tained a large percentage of gypsum. It was essentially a mass of 
gypsum crystals embedded in fine- sand. Samples from depths of 512 
and 516 feet also contained gypsum, but at these depths the gypsum 
may have fallen in from higher beds. The strata from which the flow 
of water comes apparently contain a large amount of gypsum. 

Water was encountered in sandstone at 74 feet and again at 445 
feet. There is no information available as to the quality or quantity 
of the water found at these depths. When the depth of 507 feet was 
reached water was struck and rose to the surface, overflowing in large 
volume, and drilling was suspended for a few days. When drilling 
was resumed and had reached a depth of 515 feet the flow increased 
to about four times the amount yielded at 507 feet, and it was neces- 
sary to stop drilling until some means of shutting off the water was 
found. 

When the well was visited b}^ the writer, in the middle of Septem- 
ber, 1918, a 4-inch pipe had been connected to the 10-inch casing and 
extended vertically 70 feet or more above the surface, and a 4-inch 
pipe about 16 feet long was also attached horizontally as a discharge 
pipe about 8 feet above the ground. A strong stream flowed from 



46 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

the horizontal pipe, and it was stated that at the same time the water 
stood in the vertical pipe about 60 feet from the ground, but this 
statement was not confirmed. Approximate measurements of the 
flow under these conditions, made by the writer, indicate that the flow 
was at least 600 gallons a minute, or more than 850,000 gallons a day. 

Since the well was visited by the writer it has been drilled several 
hundred feet deeper, but the strong flow of the water interfered with 
the work. In the later drilling several large cavities were en- 
countered. The flow increased when a large cavity was struck at 557 
feet, but it decreased again to about the original flow when another 
cavity was encountered at 574 feet. 

The water has a perceptibly salty taste. An assay of a sample in 
the laboratory of the water-resources branch of the Geological Sur- 
vey shows that the water contains 6,200 parts per million of dissolved 
solids. (See assay No. 4, p. 50.) This assay shows it to be unfit for do- 
mestic and boiled use and bad for irrigation. (See pp. 48-51 for dis- 
cussion of quality of water for domestic use, boilers, and irrigation.) 

Large quantities of water have been struck in other deep wells 
within 40 miles of Gage, although so far as is known there has been 
no other well in which the water rose above the surface. Practically 
every one of these wells was being drilled for oil, and little attention 
was paid to the water-bearing strata, to the quantity of the water 
except as it interfered with drilling, or to the quality of the water. 

Two wells have been drilled on the farm of C. D. Schultz, in the 
NW. J sec. 1, T. 19 N., R. 25 W., about 3± miles northwest of Arnett. 
One of the wells was drilled by the Shattuck Oil & Gas Co. during 
the years 1914 to 1917 to a depth, of 1,743 feet and subsequently 
abandoned. The "Red Beds" were apparently reached at about 
165 feet. Water was encountered at 60 to 65 feet, 85 to 95 feet, 410 
to 450 feet (in red sand), and 565 to 575 feet (in brown quicksand).. 
It is possible that water was encountered at lower levels but was not 
mentioned in the log. When this well was visited by the writer water 
was standing in it only 27 feet from the surface. It was said that the 
well was at that time cased to 475 feet, and the water therefore pre- 
sumably came from a depth greater than that. It is possible, how- 
ever, that the water entered from a higher level through holes in the 
casing. In a shallow well a few hundred feet distant the water 
stands at 60 feet below the surface. This water probably comes from 
the same strata as were penetrated in the deep well between 60 
and 65 feet. It comes from Tertiary beds, as is shown by outcrops 
near by. The water in the deep well probably comes from the beds 
at 410 to 450 feet, or 565 to 575 feet, or possibly from a greater depth. 

The second deep well on the Schultz farm was being drilled by 
Mr. Schultz at the time of the writer's visit. The log of the well as 



GROUND WATER FOB IRRIGATION NEAR GAGE, OKI. A. 47 

obtained from the driller is obviously inaccurate. Watier was reaohed 
at about 80 feet, as in the shallow well mentioned above; Water 
was also encountered at about IT" feet in red sandstone, and this 
water rose within about 100 feet of the surface. It could be bailed 
down about 50 feet (150 feet from the surface) but no farther. 
Water was also encountered at about 685 feet and at 721 feet. 

It is clear that in the wells on the Schultz farm the water en- 
countered in the " Red Beds" is under more or less artesian pressure. 
No samples of water were obtained from either of these two deep 
wells, and no definite information could be obtained in regard to the 
quality of the water at different depths. Salt crystals that had been 
precipitated from the dried sludge at the well which was being 
drilled indicated that the water had been rather salty, and there were 
similar but less pronounced indications at the abandoned well. 

In a well drilled by the Home Producers Oil Co. in sec. 3, T. 21 N., 
E. 21 TV., about 8 miles southwest of Woodward, water was en- 
countered in quicksand between 50 and 172 feet. This water was 
apparently fresh and probably came from Tertiary rocks. Xo men- 
tion is made in the log of this well as to the quantity of water. The 
" Eed Beds " were entered at 172 feet, and gypsum was encountered 
at 460 feet and at lower depths. At 852 feet salt water was en- 
countered. The water rose within 100 feet of the top, and the inflow 
was so great that it could not be lowered by bailing. 

In a well near Lipscomb, about 30 miles southwest of Gage, water 
was encountered at 430 feet and rose within 43 feet of the top. The 
water, which was salty, was pumped at the rate of 8 gallons a minute 
without being lowered. At this place the " Eed Beds " were appar- 
ently entered at a depth of 92 feet. 

In a well about 3 miles southwest of May, 20 miles north of Gage, 
salt water was encountered at 140 feet. The water rose in the well, 
but just how far is not known. This well was drilled to a depth of 
only 150 feet. 

In a well near Gate, about 40 miles northwest of Gage, water was 
struck in the " Eed Beds " at a depth of 170 feet and rose to the 
surface. Nothing is known as to the quantity or quality of the water. 

In every well concerning which information was obtained where 
water was encountered in the " Eed Beds " the water rose in the well, 
and in some wells it was evidently under considerable pressure. Ac- 
curate information was not available in regard to the relative eleva- 
tions of the several wells, so that it is not possible to compare the 
head of the water at the different places. The wells on the Schultz 
farm are probably from 200 to 300 feet higher than the one at Gage, 
and the water in those wells probably stands higher than the surface 



48 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

at Gage. The Home Producers' well, southwest of Woodward, is pos- 
sibly lower than the Gage well. 

ARTESIAN CONDITIONS IN THE " RED BEDS." 

The facts indicate that artesian conditions occur in the "Red 
Beds " in the Gage region, but not enough information is available 
to determine the structure accurately. Two possible causes of the 
artesian pressure may be suggested. 

Near Woodward the " Red Beds " dip gently in a westerly direc- 
tion. The " Red Beds " are known to continue to the west for many 
miles, coming to the surface in New Mexico. At points in the Pan- 
handle of Texas and in New Mexico they are known to dip eastward. 
The Gage region may therefore, be in a great artesian trough or syn- 
cline in which water is inclosed under pressure. The " Red Beds " 
at their outcrop in New Mexico are from 2,000 to 3,000 feet higher 
than in the Gage region. They consist of alternate beds of porous 
sandstone and nearly impervious shale in which are included beds of 
salt and gypsum. Water that falls as rain or snow on the porous 
beds percolates downward, along the dip of the beds, and is confined 
by the overlying impervious beds. The water continues to percolate 
downward in an easterly direction until it reaches the bottom of the 
basin, or until it is prevented from going farther by water that has 
previously accumulated. These conditions are illustrated in figure 6 
(p. 38). At Gage, for instance, the flowing well is so much lower than 
the intake of the water-bearing bed that the pressure is great enough 
to raise the water 60 feet or more above the ground. On the other 
hand, at the Schultz wells, northwest of Arnett, the surface is much 
higher, and the pressure is not sufficient to lift the water to the 
surface. 

An alternate explanation is that Gage stands on a local syncline 
and that the water in the " Red Beds " did not enter them at their 
outcrop in New Mexico, but that it entered them from the overlying 
porous Tertiary deposits. This condition is shown in figure 7 
(p. 39). 

A small-scale topographic map of Oklahoma 3 indicates that all 
the outcrops of the " Red Beds " east of the Gage region are lower 
than the surface at Gage. It is therefore practically certain that the 
artesian water comes from the west, northwest, or southwest. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

To obtain information in regard to the quality of the water in the 
Gage region samples were collected from the flowing well at Gage, 
from two shallower wells, and from Wolf Creek at Gage. These 

3 Gould, C. N., Geology and water resources of Oklahoma : U. S. Geol. Survey Water- 
Supply Paper 148, pi. 1, 1905. 



GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION NEAR GAGE, OKLA. 49 

samples were assayed in the water-resources Laboratory of the 

Geological Survey. The results of these assays, together with a 
classification of the waters for domestic use, boilers, and irrigation, 
are given on page 50. 4 Because of the pressure of war work com 
plete analyses were not made. The assays, however, are sufficiently 
accurate to serve as a basis for the classification of these waters as 
given in the table. 

WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE. 

The classification of the waters for domestic use given in the table 
on page .">0 is based on the dissolved solids which they contain, espe- 
cially on the constituents that produce hardness. Local conditions and 
individual preference largely determine the significance of the terms 
u good " or " bad " as applied to the mineral quality of water for 
domestic use. For instance, a certain water in the Gage region, 
where water of good quality is obtained in the Tertiaiy deposits, 
might be classed as only fair or poor, but a water of the same quality 
in the " Red Beds " area, where most of the water is so bad that it 
can not be used, would probably be classed as good. It should be 
borne in mind that in this report the classification of a water for 
domestic use is based only on its mineral composition and does not 
take into consideration the sanitary quality of the water. 

WATER FOR, USE IN BOILERS. 

With respect to their quality for use in boilers, waters are classified 
according to the amounts of scale-forming and foaming constituents 
they contain and the probability of corrosion. 

In this report waters for use in boilers are classed according to the 
rating adopted by the American Railway Engineering and Mainte- 
nance of Way Association. 5 

WATER FOR IRRIGATION. 

Certain chemical compounds, if present in water in too large quan- 
tities, may prove harmful to vegetation. The substances most com- 
monly encountered are what are called " the alkalies " — that is, salts 
of sodium and potassium. The principal harmful alkali salts are 
sodium carbonate (sal soda), sodium sulphate (Glauber salt), and 
sodium chloride (table salt). 

As a result of continued evaporation much of the mineral content of 
the water is deposited in the soil, so that unless special precautions 

4 See Mendenhall, W. C, Dole, R. B., and Stabler, Herman, Ground water in San 
Joaquin Valley, Calif. : U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Taper 398, pp. 73-82, 1916, for 
a detailed discussion of the classification of waters for domestic use, boilers, and irri- 
gation. 

5 Am. Ry. Eng. and Maintenance of Way Assoc. Proc, vol. 5, p. 595, 1904 ; vol. 9, p. 
134, 1908. This classification is also given in Water-Supply Paper o9S, p. 67, with the 
amounts of the constituents recomputed to parts per million. 



50 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

are taken to wash out the alkali the soil will become so impregnated 
with the injurious substances that plants will be stunted or killed. 
If conditions are such that the water can drain through the soil 
readily, as in a very sandy soil, and not deposit much of its alkali 
content, the water is less likely to injure the plants than if the soil is 
impervious, as in clay soil, where the alkali will be deposited in the 
ground. The classification of the waters for irrigation as given in 
the subjoined table is based on the rating prepared by Stabler. 6 

QUALITY OF WATERS IN THE GAGE REGION. 

The samples of water collected for examination represent supplies 
from the various types of sources in the region. The analytical re- 
sults given in the following table show that the waters as a rule are 
fair or good for domestic use and irrigation except that from the 
deep well at Gage, but that they are not so good for use in boilers. 

Results of laboratory assays and classification of waters near Gage, Okla. 

[Parts per million except as otherwise designated; Alfred A. Chambers, C H. Kidwell, and Margaret D. 

Foster, analysts.] 



Determined quantities: 

Turbidity 

Iron(Fe) 

Carbonate radicle (CO3) 

Bicarbonate radicle (HCO3) 

Sulphate radicle (SO4) 

Chloride radicle (CI) 

Total hardness as CaC03 

Computed quantities: a 

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) . 

Total dissolved solids 

Scale-forming constituents 

Foaming constituents 

Alkali coefficient (inches &) 

Classification: a 

Mineral content 

Chemical character 

Probability of corrosion- c 

Quality for use in boilers 

Quality for domestic use 

Quality for irrigation. 



Date of collection (1918) ! Sept. 



1 


2 


3 





15 





Tr. 


Tr. 


.17 


.0 


4.8 


.0 


261 


259 


256 


28 


34 


. 27 


21 


107 


14 


244 


1S7 


207 


14 


110 


25 


350 


480 


330 


290 


220 


260 


40 


300 


70 


94 


11 


74 


Moderate. 


Moderate. 


Moderate. 


Ca-C0 3 


Na-C0 3 . 


Ca-C0 3 . 


(?) 


N 


(?) 


Poor. 


Bad. 


Poor. 


Fair. 


Good. 


Good. 


Good. 


Fair. 


Good. 


Sept. 17 


Sept. 20 


Sept. 17 



0.0 

83 

2,000 

1,935 

1,975 

1,500 
6,200 
2,000 
4,000 
1.0 

Very high. 
Na-Cl. 
C 

Unfit. 

Unfit. 

Bad. 

Sept. 20 



a See standards for classification by R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler, in Mendenhall, Dole, and Stabler, 
Ground waters in San Joaquin Valley, Calif.; U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 39S, pp. 50-81, 1916. 

t> Depth in inches of water which would on evaporation yield sufficient alkali to render a 4-foot depth of 
soil injurious to the most sensitive crops. 

c Based on computed quantity; C=corrosive; N=noncorrosive; (?)=corrosion uncertain or doubtful. 

1. Public supply for Gage, from driven weUs 39 feet deep. 

2. Wolf Creek near Gage. 

3. Drilled weU, 156 feet deep, on farm of E. J. La Lone, in the SE. J sec. 21, T. 21 N., R. 24 W. 

4. Flowing well, 516 feet deep, half a mile east of Gage, in the SE. I SW. J sec. 2, T. 21 N., R. 24 W., 
drilled by Guarantee Development Co. 

Sample 1, from the driven wells that furnish the supply for the 
town of Gage, was taken as representative of water from the alluvial 
deposits along Wolf Creek. The water is rated as only fair for 

6 Stabler, Herman, Some stream waters of the western United States, with chapters on 
sediment carried by the Rio Grande and the industrial application of water analyses : 
U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 274, pp. 177-179, 1911. See also U. S. Geol. 
Survey Water-Supply Paper 398, p. 57, 1916. 



i;i;orxn WATER FOR MMliCATloX BTEAE GAGE, OKLA. 51 

domestic use because of its hardness. It will probably require con- 
siderable soap for washing and may form a scale in kettles but is 
satisfactory for drinking and cooking. It has been classed as poor 
for use in boilers because of the amount of s -ale-forming constituents 
it contains. The water is good for irrigation. 

Sample 2 was taken from Wolf Creek at the bridge a short 'dis- 
tance north of Gage. This water has been classed as good for domes- 
tic use; it is lower in total hardness than that from the town wells. 
It is. however, possibly subject to contamination, although such a 
condition can not lie detected by the assay method. Moreover, the 
quality of the water in "Wolf Creek probably varies with the stage 
of the stream. The water is classed as bad for use in boilers because 
of its high content of scale-forming and foaming constituents. It is 
of fair quality for irrigation. 

Sample 3 was taken from a well on the uplands in sec. 21, T. 21 
X., E. 21 W., about 3 miles south of Gage. It is believed to be 
representative of water obtained from wells in the Tertiary beds. 
It has been classed as good for drinking and general household use; 
poor for use in boilers because of the amount of scale-forming con- 
stituents it contains ; and good for irrigation. 

Sample 4, from the flowing well at Gage, is highly mineralized, 
containing more than 6,000 parts per million of total solids. It is un- 
fit for either domestic use or boilers. If used for drinking it probably 
would produce very unpleasant if not serious effects. It can not be 
successfully used for irrigation. The water might possibly be used 
for a short period with apparent good effects, especially in a porous 
soil, but it would eventually deposit so much alkali that the land 
would be spoiled and could be brought back to productivity only by 
careful drainage for a considerable time. When the flow was first 
struck it was allowed to run through a field of broom corn near by 
for about two weeks. The broom corn that had been watered by the 
flow was noticeably in much better condition than that in the other 
parts of the field, which were in poor condition because of the dry 
weather, but a white alkali crust appeared at the surface after the 
flow was diverted, and undoubtedly a considerable amount of alkali 
was mixed in the soil beneath the surface. 

IRRIGATION. 

In determining the feasibility of using ground water for irriga- 
tion several factors must be taken into consideration. These are 
principally the quantity of water available, the quality of the 
water, the cost of the necessary developments, and the probable 
return on the investment. So far as is known there have been no 
attempts at irrigation in the Gage region except possibly of gardens 
for household use. 



52 CONTRIBUTIONS TO HYDROLOGY OF UNITED STATES, 1921. 

The first two factors may be considered together. What informa- 
tion is obtained from records of deep wells in the Gage region indi- 
cates that abundant supplies of water may be obtained, from the 
" Red Beds " at depths of 150 to 500 feet or more, but the water 
obtained from these beds is generally salty and can not be used for 
irrigation without danger of spoiling the land for crops. It is there- 
fore concluded that water suitable for irrigation can not generally be 
obtained from wells that penetrate the " Red Beds." Water fit for 
use in irrigation may occur in some portions of the " Red Beds " that 
do not contain salt or gypsum, as perhaps some parts of the Wood- 
ward formation. This, however, can not be proved in the absence of 
wells which penetrate the upper " Red Beds " and in which careful 
observations as to the quality and quantity of the water obtained at 
various depths have been made during the progress of drilling. Any 
deep wells that are drilled into the " Red Beds " can only be consid- 
ered as experimental until proved otherwise. The high initial cost 
of such wells and the hazard of encountering bad water preclude the 
undertaking of the experiment by the farmer of average means. 

The water obtained from wells in Tertiary deposits on the upland 
is of much better quality and probably is in general good for irri- 
gation. As there is no information at hand, however, in regard to 
the yield of drilled wells of large diameter in this area, the possi- 
bilitjr of obtaining water for irrigation from such wells is uncertain. 
The Tertiary formations probably will not yield large quantities of 
water for extended periods, and in some parts of the region the lift 
will be so great that the wells can not be pumped for irrigation. As 
windmills are used so generally in this region, the wind blowing 
steadily for long periods, it is possible to pump water for irrigation 
by windmills from a greater depth than would otherwise be profit- 
able. Because the yield of such wells is only moderate it would be 
necessaiw to provide storage reservoirs, and in any event the area 
that could be irrigated would be small. 

Computations based on the assay of the water from driven wells in 
the alluvium underlying the valley floor of Wolf Creek at Gage show 
that it is of good quality for irrigation. The quality of the water from 
this formation may vary somewhat from place to place, but prob- 
ably everywhere in the valley of Wolf Creek it is either good or 
fair and can be used if reasonable care is taken in watering crops. 
The wells that furnish the public supply at Gage and the railroad 
well at Fargo yield 150 gallons a minute or more, and at these places 
water is obtained at depths of less than 50 feet. It is reasonable to 
believe that wells of similar capacity can be obtained at other places 
in the valley and that the water can be used for irrigation, either 
to supplement the rainfall in dry years or as a regular supply. The 
water could probably be obtained from bored wells of large diameter, 



GROUND WATER FOR IRRIGATION NEAR GAGE, OKLA. 53 

from dug wells, or from a series of driven pipes. In addition to 
the water from wells on the flood plain some water could be obtained 
from "Wolf Creek, by pumping directly from the creek or from pipes 
driven into the cieek bed. There seems to be no possibility of 
storing the flow of the creek, because no good dam site is available. 

In addition to the quality and quantity of the water available, the 
cost of the development is an important item that must be care- 
fully considered. It is not within the scope of this paper to discuss 
the cost of an irrigation system in the Gage region, but attention 
may be called to certain points to be considered in an estimate of the 
cost. The original cost will include the cost of sinking wells, in- 
stalling the pumping equipment, leveling the land, and building 
ditches. The operating expenses will include the cost of the power, 
of repairs, and of the distribution and application of water. In 
addition, the interest on the investment, depreciation, and taxes 
must be considered. It should be remembered that if an irrigation 
system is used only to supplement rainfall, the fixed charges, such 
as taxes, interest on investment, and depreciation, continue when the 
plant is idle and will therefore be relative^ higher than if the plant 
were used regularly. 

A factor of some weight in determining whether irrigation will 
be profitable is the nature of the crop to be raised. Because of the 
cost of equipment and of pumping, the ordinary field crops can 
not be grown by irrigation to jdeld as great a profit as those raised 
without irrigation in wet seasons, or perhaps in seasons of average 
rainfall. Irrigation of alfalfa and other crops grown in semiarid 
regions, such as broom corn, kafir corn, feterita, and Sudan grass, 
would probably be profitable only in dry seasons. Irrigation by 
water from wells is most profitable when the crops grown are those 
that permit intensive cultivation and that bring good prices, such as 
fruit and garden vegetables. In conclusion, it may be said that the 
prospects of obtaining water for irrigation in the Gage region are 
not bright, except in certain small areas. 

o 



